Wrench



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WRENCH Filed Feb. 28, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 j nu i 1 ATTIII RN EYE July 28, 1959 w. w. AHANA WRENCH 2 Sheets-$heet 2 Filed Feb. 28, 1957 William 11.2mm

ATTD R N EYS United States Patent WRENCH William W. L. Ahana, Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii Application February 28, 1957, Serial No. 643,004

1 Claim. (Cl. 81--'53) This invention relates to a tool, and more particularly to a wrench.

The object of the invention is to provide a wrench which includes a mechanism that insures that the wrench can beused to grip an object with increased friction or tension.

Another object of the invention is to provide a wrench which can be used as a ratchet wrench and whereby continued rotation of the wrench increases the gripping action of the wrench.

Another object of the invention is to provide a wrench which can be used for handling various objects or articles such as nuts or pipes, and whereby the wrench is constructed so that the nut or pipe does not have to be a perfect fit with the wrench, and whereby objects of various sizes and shapes can be gripped therein.

A further object of the invention is to provide a wrench which is extremely simple and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, and in which like numerals are used to designate like parts throughout the same:

Figure =1 is a fragmentary elevational view of a wrench, constructed according to the present invention, and with parts broken away and in section.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on .the line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary elevational view illustrating a modification.

Figure 7 is a sectional view taken on the line 7-7 of Figure 6. t

Figure 8 is a fragmentary elevational view illustrating a further modified Wrench.

Figure 9 is a sectional view taken on the line 9-9 of Figure 8.

Figure 10 is a fragmentary elevational view illustrating a still further modification.

Referring in detail to the drawings, and more particularly to Figures 1 through 5 of the drawings, the numeral 10 designates a wrench which includes a handle 11 and a head 12. The head 12 is of circular or other suitable shape and there is provided in an end of the handle 11 a recess 13. A coil spring 14 is seated in the recess 13, and there is provided in the inner portion of the head 12 a groove 15. A plurality of spherical bearings or balls 16 are seated in the groove 15, and due to the curved shape of the groove 15 in cross section, the bearings 16 will be permitted to move in the groove 15, but nevertheless the bearings 16 will be prevented from 2,896,488 Patented July 28, 1 959 accidentally falling out of the groove. The groove 15, besides being curved in cross sec-tion as shown in Figures 2 through 5, has a tapered shape so that the end 17 of the groove 15 is more shallow than the other end 18 which is adjacent the recess 13. The center of the head 12 is provided with a circular opening 19 whereby an article or work piece being gripped can extend therethrough. An end of the head 12 is spaced from the handle 11 so as to define a space 20, as shown in Figure 1, and the end may also be made integral with the handle.

Referring to Figures 6 and 7 of the drawings, there is shown a modified wrench which is indicated generally by the numeral 21. The wrench 21 includes a handle 22 and a circular or other suitably shaped head 23, and an end of the head 23 is spaced from the handle 22 so as to define a space 24-, and the end may also be made integral with the handle. The central portion of the head 23 is provided with an opening 25 for the projection therethrough of a nut, pipe or other article being gripped. The handle 22 is provided with a recess 26 in which is seated a coil spring 27, and there is provided in the inner portion of the head 23 a continuous groove 28 which communicates with the recess 26. The groove 28 has a tapered shape so that the end 29 of the groove 28 is more shallow than the end 30 of the groove. The groove 28 defines in the head 23 opposed flanges or lips 31, and movably mounted in the groove 28 is a plurality of cylindrical bearings 32. Trunnions 33 extend from the ends of the bearings 32, and these trunnions 33 are maintained in the groove 28 due to the provision of the flanges 31.

Referring to Figures 8 and 9 of the drawings, there is shown a further modified wrench which is indicated generally by the numeral 34. The wrench 34 includes a handle 35 and a circular or other suitably shaped head 36, and the head 36 consists of a plurality of sections 38 which may be pivotally connected together by means of pins 37, Figures 8 and 9. The center of the head 36 is open as at 39 for receiving the work being gripped, and an end 40 of the head 36 is adapted to be adjustably connected to the handle 34 by means of securing elements 41, so that by loosening these securing elements 41 and shifting the position of the head 36, the efi'ectivesize of the head can be varied whereby articles of different sizes can be gripped or received in the opening 39. Each of the sections 38 of the head 36 is provided with a groove or recess 42 for the reception of a spherical bearing or ball 43 therein, and as with the previous constructions, portions of these hearings extend inwardly into the central opening 39 for engagement with the outer surface of the work being turned or gripped. A coil spring 44 is connected to each of the bearings 43. The grooves 42 are tapered so as to permit locking or unlocking of the wrench depending upon the direction of rotation of the handle 35.

Referring to Figure 10 of the drawings, there is shown a further modified wrench which is indicated generally by the numeral 45, and this wrench 45 includes a handle 46 and a circular or other suitable shape head 47, there being a central opening 48 defined within the head 47. The handle 46 is provided with a recess 49 in which is seated a coil spring 50, and there is provided in the inner portion of the head a continuous groove 51 which communicates with the recess 49. The groove 51 has a curved shape in cross section, and the groove 51 is also tapered so that the end portion 52 thereof is deeper than the other end portion 53. A plurality of spherical bearings or balls 54 are arranged in the groove 51, and coil springs 55 are positioned between each pair of bearing 54.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that there has been rovided a wrench which can be used for gripping articles of different sizes and shapes, and the gripping action of the wrench increases as the wrench is turned or rotated. In using the Wrench 10 shown in Figures "1 through 5, the article being gripped or rotated is received in the opening 19 and the outer surfaces of the bearings 16 engage the work to be gripped or handled. By rotating the handle '11 of the wrench 10 in one direction, the bearings 16 will frictionally engage the nut, pipe or other articles whereby the article will be securely gripped by the wrench. Due to the provision of the tapering groove 15 wherein the groove is deeper at the end 18 than it is at the end 17, it will be seen that continued rotation of the wrench increases the gripping efiect of the hearings on the article. By turning the wrench in the opposite direction, the locking action of the bearings 16 can be released so that the wrench can be readily removed or disengaged from the pipe, nut or other article. The tapering construction of the groove 15 is illustrated in Figures 2 through 5 wherein it will be seen that this groove 15 varies in depth as shown in these views for the previously described purpose.

In Figures 6 and 7 there is shown a modified wrench 21 which inclues cylindrical bearings 32 instead of the previously described spherical bearings 16. Trunnions 33 extend outwardly from the ends of the bearings 32, and these trunnions 33 are maintained or restrained in the groove 28 by means of the flanges 31. The coil spring 27 engages one of the bearings 32. The groove 28 has a tapered construction so that the portion 30 of the groove is deeper than the portion 29 whereby there will result an increased gripping action by the bearings 32 as the wrench is turned in the proper direction.

In Figures 8 and 9 the wrench 34 includes a head 36 which consists of the plurality of sections 38 that are pivotally connected together by suitable securing elements such as the pins or bolts 37. The sections 38 carry the spherical bearings 43 and coil springs 44, and the bearings 43 are adapted to engage the Work being handled. In Figure the wrench 45 includes the head 47 that carries the plurality of bearings 54 as well as the coil springs 55 therebetween, and the groove 51 also has a tapered shape so that the end 52 of the groove 51 is deeper than the end portion 53.

The shafts or trunnions such as the trunnions 33 may be of different shapes, as for example these trunnions may he graduated in size or else they can be cylindrical or they may have any other shape such as an oval shape.-

Thus, it will be seen that there has been provided a universal free wheeling wrench. The tool includes the body or handle and a socket head, and the head is provided with a groove such as the groove which defines a ball bearing race that is deep at one end and which groove becomes gradually more shallow towards the other end. The spring 14 pushes against the ball bearings 16 so that these ball bearings are pushed toward the shallow end. Thus, in engaging a nut or a round object of smaller size, pressure and slight rotation towards the spring end will have a tendency to push the bearings against the spring 14 and this will cause the bearings to move towards the deeper portion of the groove or race so that the opening 19 becomes larger and the nut or 4 round object will fit into the opening for engagement by the wrench. Then, by turning the wrench in a counter clockwise direction, the opposite effective will be accomplished. The bearings are pushed with the aid of the spring such as the spring 14 towards the more shallow end of the groove so that the opening 19 becomes smaller whereby the bearings 16 will tend to wedge themselves against the engaged object and the bottom of the race so that any additional turning will loosen the nut or other article and in the case of a round object will turn it like a pipe wrench. By reversing the direction of rotation the wrench will either free wheel or engage.

In Figures 6 and 7, the wrench 21 may exert a firmer grip due to the provision of the cylindrical bearings 32. The bearings 16 are maintained in the groove 15 by making the groove 15 of such a shape that its open side is slightly smaller than the diameter of the bearings. In Figures 6 and 7 the trunnions 33 maintain the bearings 32 in the groove 28. If desired, the various bearings may be knurled in order to increase the traction thereof.

In Figures 8 and 9, the wrench 34 includes the plurality of sections 38 and each section has a sloping groove 42 which has one or more bearings 43 therein, and these sections are connected together by a swivel joint or pin 37. The securing elements 41 permit the head to be adjusted so that the size of the opening 39 can be varied as desired, and the wrench 34 is adapted to be used on cylindrical objects wherein there are no free ends.

The wrench of the present invention can be used as a ratchet Wrench and the grip will increase as the wrench is rotated in the proper direction. Furthermore, round nuts can be used to prevent tampering or to give a more finished appearance to an article, and the device can either be usedas a nut wrench or as a pipe wrench and the nut'or pipe does not have to be a perfect fit, and the receiving bearings permit larger sizes to be engaged.

It is to be understood that the head can have any suitable shape and as previously described, the end of the head may be integral with the handle or it may be spaced therefrom.

I claim:

In a wrench, a handle, a head on an end of said handle, there being a recess in said handle, a coil spring seated in said recess, said head being provided with a central circular opening, there being a groove arranged in the inner surface of said head and said groove communicating with said recess, a plurality of spherical bearings seated in said groove and engaging said coil spring, said groove being curved in cross section, and said groove being tapered so that the groove is deeper at the portion adjacent the recess than it is at the other end thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 397,954 Worthen Feb. 19, 1889 2,514,687 Werner July 11, 1950 2,550,010 Kavalar Apr. 24, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 4,925 Great Britain Feb. 28, 1910 89,590 Switzerland July 1, 1921 131,604 Sweden May 2, 1951 

